LEAD H.264 Video Codec

(Download only) H.264 is a high quality video compression algorithm and is suited for all types of applications with different ranges of bit rates. H.264 compressed video data can be stored inside AVI or OGG files with the option of saving the file with or without the audio data.

LEAD H264 Video Codec is a state-of-the-art DirectShow filter for compressing and decompressing video data using H.264/AVC standard. H.264 is the latest and most advanced video standard developed jointly by ITU and MPEG. H.264/AVC provides a far more efficient algorithm for compressing video than any other compression method available. It typically outperforms all existing standards by a factor of three to four especially in comparison to MPEG-2.

Key features of the LEAD H.264 Video Codec:

• User-definable motion estimation settings control the balance between encoder speed and quality.

• The LEAD H.264 encoder makes use of the SAD HADAMARD calculation to increase the compression ratio.

• Multiple reference frames of any combination of past and future frames, provides precise interprediction as well as improved robustness during packet loss while streaming over the network or Internet.

• Unrestricted motion search uses reference frames that may be partly outside the frame improving network performance by predicting missing data.

• Only the difference between motion vectors is saved, increasing the compression ratio.

• Intraprediction may be performed either on 4x4 blocks or 16x16.

• Motion vector prediction is performed before the frame is prepared for compression (pre-DCT) improving prediction and compression performance.

• Computation is more efficient because LEAD implements the traditional Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) as an integer transform.

• A context-sensitive deblocking filter smoothes out internal edges, significantly improving the visual quality of the video. The filter strength depends upon the prediction modes and relationship between the neighboring blocks.

• Employs Context-Adaptive Variable Length Coding (CAVLC) to encode transform coefficients.

• The Context-Adaptive Binary Arithmetic Coding (CABAC) method continually updates frequency statistics of the incoming data and adaptively adjusts the algorithm, improving compression performance.

• The LEAD H.264 encoder provides the user control of the number and types of frames encoded into the video stream.

MPEG-4 Part 10 is a high quality compression developed by the Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) together with the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). The technology is also known as AVC, for Advanced Video Coding.

LEAD offers the following versions of the H.264 Video Codec:

• LEAD H.264 Video Decoder $25

• LEAD H.264 Standard Video Encoder $100

• LEAD H.264 Professional Video Encoder $400

In addition to the capabilities supported in the LEAD H.264 Video Codec Standard, the LEAD H.264 Video Codec Professional also provides the following:

• Includes 8 additional optional settings that can deliver files that are up to 40% smaller than those created using the Standard version.

• Includes the DMO version of the codec

• Includes additional options to control the bit rate